


the fall

by i_was_human



Series: forged from flame [8]
Category: Lost in Translation (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arson, Betrayal, Civil Unrest, Dragon Riders, No Beta, Politics, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:26:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29814612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_was_human/pseuds/i_was_human
Summary: A descent into betrayal in four simple steps.Or: the story of the Western Kingdom, and how the Third Great War began.
Series: forged from flame [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1981847
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	the fall

When Dongho ascends to the throne, it's in the aftermath of an assassination.

He can't say he's _surprised_ his parents were killed - not with what little scraps of information they deigned to give him - but whether he's surprised or not, the loss still stings. 

It's of no consequence, in the end.

He's given a day to mourn and then his councilors drag him into the throne room and tell him the attacks by the Republicans are escalating now that he's taken the throne, and there's really nothing left to do but to don his crown and head out into the kingdom at large, so he does what he's always needed to do.

And _god_ , the unrest is bad.

Protests in the streets, counterprotests that turn to riots, graffiti and vandalism running rampant-

what is there to do but reach out for help?

Call it a flaw of his, but Dongho's always been enamored with the world outside of the _Annui Arnad_. He's always loved the idea of the North's snowy hills, always loved the idea of the East's brilliant sunrises and the South's grand festivals. He's always loved the idea that there _is_ a way to tame dragons without resorting to violence, always loved the idea that there is _more_ than just a deeply divided nation standing alone.

It's a comfort to him, somehow. The idea that he's not alone, that there are _others struggling just as he is_ \- 

perhaps he leans on it a bit too much.

Still, it's that which keeps him calm when smoke blots out what few stars he can see, that which keeps him calm when he can hear the shouts of the Republicans from his study.

And it's not that he doesn't want to give in. He _does_. He never _wanted_ this, never _wanted_ to be King, but he's here now, and there's nothing more he can do but serve his country.

Much to his dismay, there's really no other option.

The Royalists won't accept any leader that's not him, much less a democratic government, while the Republicans won't accept anything else. It's a bitter, bitter stalemate, and Dongho's caught in the middle of it, trying to stop everything from slipping through his fingers with willpower alone. 

It's impossible, and he knows it.

So he opens their boarders. He opens their boarders, sends letters out to the other kingdoms, and he tries _so, so hard_ to keep everything together even as it's all falling apart.

* * *

The thing about Enother is that he was just doing what he had to.

Dongho knows his name well - has seen it carved in memorial after memorial. A warning - _do not be the Traitor King, lest you end up like Wren and Enother._

It looks black and white when phrased like that. Two battle-hungry kings, each wanting more than they deserved, and each paying the price for it. It _seems_ black and white.

It _should be_ black and white.

And yet, looking at the stained-glass window depicting a victorious Enother in the castle's main entryway, Dongho understands why he did it.

Their country has always been known as _Dagr- Arnad_ among the more nihilistic of them, after all, and how can they be expected to run from war when it's all they're known as?

Dongho _knows_ the same divisions he's fighting now were present in Enother's era, _knows_ they nearly tore the nation apart, _knows knows knows_ the only reason everything didn't collapse was because he attacked the South, and their nation has always been _so good at allying to fight_ -

but he won't.

He won't turn to war as an answer.

As long as there's a solution that can save lives, he'll always take that one. 

Call him selfish. Call him selfish, foolish, naïve, childish, call him _whatever you please_.

Dongho just hopes his people can understand that he really, truly does love this country.

And _hell_ did he never want to be leader. _Hell_ did he never want any of this - never wanted to be faced with this, never wanted to have an entire nation riding on his shoulders, never _wanted this_ , but his mother and father are dead, and so he owes them this.

(he told Minsoo they died in battle. told him they died fighting.

that's a lie.

they died in an instant, and Dongho saw it happen.)

* * *

Someone burns down the _tinu_ -grove. 

Dongho can't say he's surprised.

The endless wood has always been a place he's gone to find solace, as have many others. It's the only truly peaceful place in their nation - a place with gently glowing flowers and soaring oaks - and by burning it down, the perpetrators have all but declared war.

Dongho can't say he's surprised. 

Things have been escalating - he _knows_ they have - and this is just the most blatant act in a long string of escalations. 

He's not surprised. He's _not_.

(is it wrong to say he's afraid, instead?)

The ashes leave dark smudges on his fingers as he bends down to grasp one, and one of his advisors taps his toe on the barren earth, clearly looking like he wants to be anywhere _but_ here. Spindly remains of trees claw in vain at the sky, the only remains of the _tinu-_ flowers the ash coating the ground, and the hot air sticks in Dongho's throat and _chokes him_.

This is his fault.

"Are you done?" his advisor drawls, and Dongho rises, wiping his soot-smudged hand on his pants.

"Yes."

No.

This place was the last bastion of peace in the nation, and they _knew it_. This place was the last thing stopping full-out war, the last thing keeping things from escalating even further, and by burning it down, they've only opened the door for even worse things to come.

They knew this would cause war.

But Dongho will be _damned_ if he lets things crumble, and so he straightens, adjusting his circlet and stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Send word we'll be attending the Unity Festival."

His advisor looks disgusted with him, and Dongho can't blame him.

He's putting his own selfish desires above his nation, after all.

* * *

They're miles out when Dongho first smells smoke.

He stirs Nyx on, the dragon shooting forwards and leaving his advisors behind, and Dongho flips his goggles over his eyes, though it does little to help with the sudden barrage of smoke that invades his mouth.

_Dún's Mír_ is burning.

The town's on fire, screams and shouts ringing through the air, and Dongho hovers for a moment, staring wide-eyed at the massive pillar of _flame_ that once was his castle.

He caused this.

He gestures for Nyx to take him down, and as soon as the dragon drops low enough, Dongho leaps off their back, boots landing on the cracked cobblestone of their main street.

It's _chaos_.

Buildings, banners, stores and homes are all burning in equal measure, and as Dongho stares up at the burning towers of his castle, something within him hardens.

This is beyond the point of talking.

This is- this is _far_ beyond the point of talking. There is nothing left to say.

Not now.

Not anymore.

He shoves his goggles back from his face, squinting for a moment as the smoke invades his eyes. People jostle past him, their meagre possessions strapped to their backs, and people work in vain to put out the fire with buckets of water, though Dongho knows it'll do nothing.

It's time to act.

As soon as the fire's simmered down into nothingness and all that's left are ashes and cinders, Dongho declares war on the other three kingdoms.

His people come first, after all, and if nothing else, they can unite over this. 

**Author's Note:**

> Annui Arnad - western kingdom  
> Dagr- Arnad - war kingdom  
> tinu - star  
> Dún's Mír - west's jewel
> 
> wrote this while listening to "boom boom" by 2wei -w-
> 
> please leave a comment if you enjoyed!
> 
> [twit](https://twitter.com/i_was_human_) | [lit fic discord!](https://discord.gg/CNunB74)


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